Selling your company? You need to read this tax saving advice

Last reviewed June 2026

If you sell your company in Ireland, you may be liable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) at 33% on the gain arising from the sale. However, careful tax planning before the transaction can significantly reduce your tax liability.

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for:

• Revised Entrepreneur Relief
• Retirement Relief
• Holding Company Structures
• Share Sale Planning
• Family Succession Planning
• International Tax Planning Opportunities

The earlier you begin planning, the greater the potential tax savings.

Thinking of selling your company or business?

One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is focusing solely on the sale price and failing to plan for the tax consequences.

Without proper planning, a significant portion of the proceeds may be lost to tax.

Whether you are selling:

• A trading company
• A technology startup
• A professional services business
• A manufacturing company
• A family-owned enterprise

Understanding your tax position before entering negotiations is critical.

Many business use a holding company when selling their business.

What is a holding company?

A holding company is usually set up with the sole intention of controlling another company or companies. Holding companies may also own property, patents, trademarks, stocks, and other assets. Businesses or other companies that are completely owned by a holding company are called wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Where is the benefit?

The holding company comes under Capital gains tax exemptions. In the event an individual sells their company without using a holding company, they must pay tax of 10% on the first one million euro and 33% tax on the remainder. If the individual was using a holding company, the above taxes would not apply.

For example, if you sell your company for €20 million, you will pay CGT at 33%, which is €6.6 million. This leaves you with €13.4 million personally. Alternatively, you could leave the entire €20 million in the holding company.

The only disadvantage is that the money is now in the holding company. However, the shareholder can now control the timing of any tax payments. Also, they can use the money in the holding company to invest in other businesses in a tax-efficient manner.

This option is available to all shareholders. If you own any amount of shares in a company, you can avoid paying Capital gains tax by using a holding company to own your shares.

If you are thinking about selling your company or business, and need tax advice, you can contact us using the form below: